These drugs needles were found at the end of Encinal Street in Santa Cruz on Feb. 10, 2013.

The Clean Team

During a public comment session Tuesday morning, dozens of residents took issue with allowing volunteers to park a van on county property on Emeline Street. Addicts, many who are homeless, can go to the van three days a week for free needles and the county is in charge with overseeing the needle operation.

Henderson was addressing supervisor Neal Coonerty, who created the "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" campaign a decade ago. He sells T-shirts with that slogan out of his popular bookstore, Bookshop Santa Cruz, on Pacific Avenue.

Coonerty was referring to the town's colorful counter-culture and street performers.

But addicts strung out on drugs also act weird, and a backlash against the slogan has grown since the start of 2013. "Keep Santa Cruz Safe And Clean" bumper stickers have begun appearing around town with the same black and white color scheme and font.

Supervisors were not hit with the intensity and verbal barbs that Santa Cruz City Council members weathered last week during their public comment session.

But supervisors did hear many important points about health and safety. Since the needle exchange van was banned from its Lower Ocean Street location six weeks ago and moved to Emeline Avenue in Santa Cruz, Emeline Avenue residents said crime and littered needles skyrocketed.

"Needles have been found in the parks, sandboxes, beaches, mall. You name it, we find them everywhere," resident Dave Christian said.

Within the past three months, local volunteer cleanup efforts found 740 used drug needles and parents said they are terrified a child will eventually step on one. Critics argue that giving addicts free needles only fuels drugs abuse. Drug abuse, in turn, fuels crime as addicts steal to pay drug dealers for heroin and methamphetamine.

Supervisors received a petition signed by 450 residents that called for reforming the needle exchange program.

Not everyone opposes the program, which aims to reduce the spread of diseases. Resident Deborah Taylor said, “The program may not work the best, but it reduces disease. And this is disease that finds its way out to the community from drug addicts into the home of longtime residents who come here to make their children safe. It just plain happens.”

Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold was the director of the AIDS Project 10 years ago. On Tuesday he said, "It takes a little bit of time to get all of the pieces in place and new equipment, but very soon we'll be coming to the board with a complete plan.

Santa Cruz County Health Services Officer Lisa Hernandez said that plan will include moving the needle exchange program to another location and creating a system for disposing used needles. She hopes the plan will be completed by April.

“We're working to make sure we have a good program that is going to protect the community of all issues," Hernandez said.